Removing Palm Seedlings from the Lawn

Q. I have a mature palm tree that dropped seeds onto my
lawn. Now I have hundreds of palm shoots growing out of the grass. I’ve tried
weed and feed products, but they don’t kill them.  Can you give me any suggestions?

Poem seedling pulled from the soil after germinating

A. Palm seeds can live in dry soil for a long time. When they
finally get water, they all germinate at once. Keep your lawn thick and dense
by mowing high, watered regularly and fertilize it four times a year. Seeds
that fall into it have less chance of getting established.

            Try
mowing palm seedlings. If the seeds come from a palm that doesn’t sucker from
the base, there is a good chance that mowing will kill the palm seedlings. Many
palms have a single, central bud at the top of its trunk and once it’s killed
or removed the palm dies.

            I know
the task is daunting, but palm seedlings pull from the soil easiest immediately
after an irrigation and when they are about 12 inches tall.

try this tool to remove palm seedlings

            As a
last resort, try lawn weed killers that contain dicamba (Banvel) or triclopyr (Garlon) as part of the ingredients on the label. Both these weed killers
control weeds that become woody. Use the highest rate permissible on the label.
Mow the lawn first and then apply the weed killer.